Project Assistant Jobs in Aiken, SC (NOW HIRING)

Position Overview 

The Project Management Associate is a mid-level position within the Project Management Team (PMT) that provides critical support for project lifecycle activities, configuration management, asset tracking, logistics coordination, and project monitoring. This role serves as a position for individuals seeking to develop comprehensive project management skills while contributing to operational excellence across the program. The ideal candidate will bring experience in software development lifecycle processes and stakeholder engagement. 

Primary Responsibilities 

Project Lifecycle Support 

• Assist with project planning activities including schedule development, milestone tracking, and deliverable coordination 

• Support project initiation activities such as charter development, requirements gathering, and baseline establishment 

• Track project metrics, key performance indicators (KPIs), and status across multiple concurrent projects 

• Coordinate with cross-functional teams to support project execution activities 

• Facilitate project meetings, document action items, and track decisions 

• Assist in the preparation of project status reports, dashboards, and executive briefings 

• Support project closeout activities including lessons learned documentation 

Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC) Support 

• Engage with stakeholders throughout the software development lifecycle from requirements gathering through deployment 

• Facilitate product owner workshops and requirements elicitation sessions for software application development projects 

• Document and track software requirements, user stories, and acceptance criteria 

• Coordinate sprint planning activities, backlog refinement, and release planning for Agile/DevSecOps projects 

• Assist in coordinating software testing activities, user acceptance testing (UAT), and deployment schedules 

• Track software defects, enhancement requests, and change requests through resolution 

• Maintain software project documentation including technical specifications, design documents, and release notes 

Stakeholder Engagement 

• Serve as a liaison between technical teams, product owners, and business stakeholders 

• Facilitate communication and collaboration across development teams, operations teams, and end users 

• Conduct stakeholder interviews to gather requirements and understand user needs 

• Translate technical information into business-friendly language for non-technical stakeholders 

• Support change management activities by communicating project impacts to affected stakeholders 

• Coordinate stakeholder reviews and feedback sessions for software deliverables 

• Maintain stakeholder communication plans and ensure timely updates 

Configuration Management 

• Maintain the configuration management database (CMDB) with accurate and up-to-date asset information 

• Track all program hardware, software, licenses, and equipment assets throughout their lifecycle 

• Process configuration change requests through established workflows and change control procedures 

• Document configuration baselines and assist with version control activities 

• Support configuration audits and reconciliation activities to ensure inventory accuracy 

• Coordinate asset tagging, labeling, and physical tracking activities 

• Maintain configuration item records from procurement through disposal 

• Generate asset utilization reports and inventory status reports for leadership 

Asset Tracking and Inventory Management 

• Conduct regular inventory audits and maintain accurate asset records 

• Track equipment locations, assignments, and transfers across program sites 

• Coordinate with procurement and finance teams on asset acquisition and disposal 

• Monitor asset lifecycle stages and coordinate maintenance or replacement activities 

• Support asset allocation planning for new projects and initiatives 

• Maintain audit trails and documentation for asset accountability 

Logistics Coordination 

• Support facility requirements including meeting space, equipment setup, and material coordination 

• Coordinate equipment and material procurement, delivery, and deployment 

• Manage shipping and receiving activities for program assets 

• Support vendor coordination and third-party logistics activities 

• Maintain logistics calendars and coordinate scheduling to prevent conflicts 

Change Management Support 

• Process change requests and route through appropriate approval workflows 

• Assess the impact of proposed changes on project scope, schedule, budget, and configuration baselines 

• Document change decisions and maintain change history logs 

• Update project documentation, plans, and configuration records following approved changes 

• Communicate changes to affected stakeholders and teams 

• Support change control board (CCB) meetings with documentation and coordination 

Monitoring and Reporting 

• Track project milestones, deliverables, and schedule performance 

• Monitor budget utilization and resource allocation across projects 

• Produce regular status reports, dashboards, and metrics for project leadership 

• Identify and escalate risks, issues, and blockers that may impact project success 

• Maintain risk and issue registers with current status and mitigation plans 

• Support data collection and analysis for program performance metrics 

Team Coordination 

• Coordinate activities across project teams, technical teams, and support functions 

• Schedule and facilitate team meetings, stand-ups, and working sessions 

• Maintain project repositories, shared drives, and collaboration platforms 

• Support resource coordination and capacity planning activities 

• Assist with onboarding new team members to project activities and tools 

Qualifications 

Minimum 2 years of professional experience including: 

• Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC):Demonstrated experience working within software development environments and understanding of SDLC phases (requirements, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance) 

• Stakeholder Engagement:Proven experience engaging with diverse stakeholders including technical teams, business users, and leadership 

• Product Owner Facilitation: Facilitate product owner requirements gathering, user story development, and backlog management for software application development projects 

• Project Coordination:Experience supporting project activities including planning, tracking, reporting, and coordination 

• Configuration/Asset Management:Experience with configuration management, asset tracking, or inventory management processes 

• Documentation:Strong documentation skills with experience creating project plans, status reports, or technical documentation 

Preferred Qualifications 

Education 

• Bachelor's degreein Project Management, Business Administration, Finance,  Information Technology, Computer Science, Engineering, or a related field 

Certifications 

• Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) 

• Agile/Scrum certifications (Certified ScrumMaster, Professional Scrum Master, SAFe Agilist) 

• ITIL Foundation certification 

• CompTIA Project+ or similar project management certification 

• CompTIA Security+ 

Technical Skills 

• Proficiency with project management tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Jira, Smartsheet, Azure DevOps, or similar) 

• Experience with Agile/Scrum methodologies and tools for software development projects 

• Familiarity with configuration management databases (CMDB) or asset tracking systems 

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) 

• Experience with collaboration platforms (Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, Confluence, or similar) 

Soft Skills 

• Strong organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously 

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills 

• Detail-oriented with strong analytical and problem-solving abilities 

• Ability to work independently and as part of a collaborative team 

• Adaptability and willingness to learn new processes, tools, and methodologies 

• Customer service orientation with focus on stakeholder satisfaction 

• Proactive approach to identifying issues and proposing solutions 

Additional Experience 

• Experience working on DoW, Army, or Intelligence Community contracts 

• Experience with DevSecOps practices and CI/CD pipelines 

• Familiarity with DoW configuration management standards 

• Experience with enterprise IT asset management systems 

• Experience supporting multiple concurrent projects in a fast-paced environment 

• Background in software quality assurance or testing coordination 

Technical Knowledge 

• Understanding of cybersecurity principles and compliance requirements 

• Familiarity with DoD 8140.01, DoD 8570.01-M, or Army Regulation 25-2 

• Knowledge of Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) and Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement (DFARS) 

 Performance Expectations 

Success in this role will be measured by: 

• Accuracy and timeliness of project tracking, reporting, and documentation 

• Quality of stakeholder engagement and requirements facilitation 

• Effectiveness in coordinating logistics and managing program assets 

• Accuracy of configuration management and asset inventory records 

• Ability to proactively identify and escalate risks and issues 

• Quality of communication with team members and stakeholders 

• Contribution to continuous improvement of PMT processes and tools 

• Compliance with all security, training, and regulatory requirements 

 Clearance

• An active TS/SCI is required